Qld passes tougher domestic violence laws

Queensland's politicians have passed harsher domestic violence laws before adjourning parliament to head to a large rally against the problem.

State MPs from all parties left parliament in a group to head to the "Enough is Enough" rally in the city centre on Thursday.

Under the laws, domestic violence offenders will have their convictions recorded and maximum penalties for domestic violence order breaches will be raised.

Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath says penalties for first-time DVO breaches will increase to three years' imprisonment and penalties for subsequent breaches will increase to five years.

"These measures send a clear message to domestic and family violence offenders in Queensland we do not accept this conduct in our communities and we do not shy away from holding you to account," Ms D'Ath said.

The laws also establish an independent Family and Domestic Violence Death and Advisory Review Board.

The panel will investigate deaths and recommend how government and other support services can work to avoid them in future.

Victims will also be given special witness status, meaning they will not have to give evidence against their attackers in their presence.

The laws are based on 140 recommendations made in former governor-general Quentin Bryce's landmark Not Now, Not Ever DV report.

The bipartisan political action against domestic violence was given new urgency after the tragic killings of two mothers in the first week of September.